Decluttering one item a day thread number 19 – running out of ideas for original titles

[stealthninjamum]

Another ‘one a day’ thread. We’re still here.

This is a group of mumsnetters who are slowly decluttering our spaces and organising our lives, chatting as we go.

We all want to live in a nicer, emptier, clearer more relaxing environment and this is our space to talk and moan about our husbands and children who often do not share our desire for such a peaceful, decluttered haven!

We only aim to get rid of one item a day, when we have time, although often we manage more. Newbies are always welcome to join us.

Previous thread here.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4259830-Decluttering-one-item-a-day-thread-number-18-quickly-stashing-our-clutter-in-charity-shops-now-we-can-let-people-back-inside-our-houses?pg=1

Perfume gone.

I’m spending part of Friday clearing out our room. I need to be a bit more ruthless.

I need to be more ruthless too. I have new things in bags that I either need to rotate into using or give to charity

Only got 1 load to charity as I forgot the garage key so couldn't get the second!

incessantnamechanger I once went about 5 years without decluttering my food cupboards! It was during the baby / toddler years and I was working and moving house. When I eventually did it some of the stuff was about ten years out of date. I now do my fridge every week and my cupboards about every 3 months. They're very full because I've taught dd1 to cook a few things in case I get flu / covid. So lots of pasta, pasta sauces, soups, tuna that she can make a meal of and lots of stuff in the freezer too. I have 7 freezer drawers and I am currently decluttering one a week so that after 8 weeks all the old food will be gone. So far I've decluttered 3 and filled them with stuff for xmas - sprouts, pigs in blankets, parsnips, yorkshire puds, roasties, frozen veg in case there are problems getting fresh stuff.

A wasted day. I have a couple of cheques to pay in and I can't find my savings account book. I know that before I went on holiday I hid it somewhere (in case of burglars) because I didn't have time to look it in the box in the loft. So I have turned out drawers/ cupboards looked under furniture, in handbags and not found it. I have decluttered some old packaging and an old shoebox but not found the book.

I'm suddenly quite glad we don't have lots of kitchen storage as it means food tends not to get forgotten.
More plastic packaging in the bag recycling at the shops today. It seems to be multiplying!
I'm at the hospital most of tomorrow so not sure I'll achieve any outs.

Worked from home this afternoon and had a seminar to listen too. So did some clearing whilst listening.

Removed some of the baskets from wardrobe which actually gives the illusion of more space.

Pair of shoes in charity bag.
Load of socks gone
Two skirts in charity bag
Pictures to go up on wall

All charity shop stuff is back in the car.
DH and I put a lot of the garden decorations (bean bags cushions etc) up in the loft clearing garage space.

Successful day.

Ememem84 oh God our garage is in a block and being knocked down around Christmas. I think I will just chuck everything. God knows what is in there either. I think there are six chairs that I want to keep. Old fashioned wheel ones but I have no room for them.

Stealth I am a prepper so I always have enough rice, pasta, noodles and tomatoe based sauces to survive six weeks. But that's all sorted and stashed safely. But maybe I need to rebook at where I am storing things. I'm going to use up lots of tins / packets and plan not to buy more until they are gone then restart. I'm running the freezer down too.

In fact I'm setting the timer and doing that now

Have managed to unload a bunch of festive baking supplies onto my mum this morning so that's a win for today as I didn't expect to get anything out today!

20 items of outgrown uniform out and six jars near there best before dates into the worlds biggest spaghetti bolognese

Pair of my scrappy ripped to pieces jeans binned
Also a pair of ds’ trousers. Covered in paint and DH helpfully washed them and then tumbled so the stains are set in.

Moisturiser used up
One picture on the wall
Duvet packed away.

@stealthninjamum I am exactly the same about reference books vs internet. But sadly it seems to be the norm in school to recommend internet sources. Think that will be my goal this weekend to trawl the bookshelves for that sort of book, I remember putting murderous maths in a charity bag within the last few months. But im sure there are still primary maths dictionaries here somewhere!

A couple of unexpected outs yesterday: DP broke a mug (unfortunately, it was a cute cat with ears); I put some slipper socks on last night and realised they had huge holes on the heels so they went.
I've had a look through various skin lotions and potions this morning, have organised them and will start using them up beginning with the small sample sized ones.

gassylady I suppose the internet is cheaper than books but I definitely find I pick up more from reading. In fact part of the reason for keeping the books is that I think my history knowledge is quite poor, at school we only seemed to learn about 1066, the tudors and the industrial revolution whereas we’ve now got tonnes of books on ancient Egypt, the Romans, figures like Thomas Cromwell and I like reading them myself even though they’re aimed at primary age. Anyway I will start to donate them because they do take up space.

The house is an utter mess - mainly caused by dd2 - but it’ll probably only take 20 mins to tidy. So I’m going to tidy and then sort through post and do shredding. I now have two bags of stuff that I think I’ll take to the charity shop today.

Good morning everyone! I hope you don’t mind me joining in, as i’ve been looking for a thread for some inspo and advice!
So, we are FINALLY moving house in 7 weeks time, to a bigger property. I’ve decided that we are not taking the clutter with us and decided to make a start today. But my gosh it’s so hard, the kids are 4 & 2, DH works nights so it is all very stop start. I know it’s 7 weeks awag but it feels like an enormous task.
I made my start in the kitchen…
Out: old chip pan, two crappy tankards, an old biscuit tin, old toiletry bag, 2 glasses I have never used, old mugs, DDs old potty training seat, various out of date spices, the kids old juice/water bottles (why did I even keep these?). I’ve filled up a box that we were going to use for packing, it can be dumped out at the tip.
I wanted to get the pans and tupperware done but the kids were getting silly. Will try get that done today, after a trip to my parents.

Does anyone have any advice on how to do this with the kids around?!

I need to join this thread, my house is total chaos but my youngest is now starting a couple of mornings at nursery so finally I might be able to start getting on top of the chaos and I'm hoping that this thread might help to keep me on track. I'll try and find something to throw out today and get off to a good start. Currently I feel totally overwhelmed by the scale of the task, small house, lots of stuff, hopefully this thread will help me.

It’s very hard with little kids to get much done I found! Good luck!

I have delivered a box of too small clothes to a neighbour.

And moved a pile of logs into the car ready to go to forest school tomorrow (hopefully).

Also listed some old tiles on FB to hopefully give away.

And found a recipient for a pair of too big running shorts I never sent back.

Tired now!

Ins: books from a car boot - don’t mind this so much as dc are going through a big reading phase at the moment abs I can probably declutter some put.

Outs:

Old minging gloves of the dcs
Some shoes of the dcs which have been added to the charity bag
Dds coat - Will eBay this

Have spent the last hour gardening. Have emptied all big pots in the front garden into the raised bed in the back. Rinsed the pots and packed away.

Have weeded. And found a humongous spider. Didn’t freak out.

To add to the out box:
An old pair of wellies, 2 x old DC trainers, a pair of my sandals that have seen better days & 2 protein shakers.
Might be more to come later, fingers crossed

Haha Re spider, well done for not freaking out!

I found a frog under the pile of logs and I did freak out! Esp when the cat was nosing around making it leap everywhere. Dh managed to herd it under the shed for safety.

Sorted paperwork too. Have a rather full plastic wallet of bank statements payslips and tax forms etc which I’m going to sneak into work and dump in the confidential shredding bin tomorrow. Technically not meant to do this. But As a one off I think I’ll get away with it.

Welcome linda and dogsbum

I don’t think I decluttered while my toddler dc were around, nothing would go!

A good day yesterday, did lots of tidying. Shredded stuff. Found the building society book I’d hidden so I have some cheques to pay into that tomorrow. I also found a Eurostar ticket printout from 2007, now that’s in the shredding pile.

Today I got rid of the storage furniture I emptied about two weeks ago. There’s still a little pile of stuff that was in it that needs to be tidied away. I am also going to chuck out the top I’m wearing which has lots of holes.

Two ins are chocolate advent calendars. We bought them early in case there are shortages.

Managed to get the tupperware sorted…. Got rid of about 20 chinese takeawy containers & lids! Only kept the ones i’ve bought with lids! About to take a shower & will throw away all the empty bottles & the ones I havn’t used for 6 months +. I still feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface, there is just so much stuff!

Found 4 outgrown bibs hiding under the teatowels today so have removed, will probably offer to friend who's just had a baby as they are nice long sleeved ones.

We also started buying Xmas food this week Stealth. To be fair I always try to get some things in early to spread the cost.

Linda - welcome! No idea how to get things done with little ones! I have one, and it's so hard!

Yesterday I did really well though while OH has lo. Ours - a dressing gown, old cleaning products under the sink, a cardigan that's uncomfortable, a couple of books I probably don't want to re-read, some baby clothes etc.
Decided we have too many towels, they don't fit in the drawers so got rid of 4.

Have a bunch of autumnal/ festive candles I've had for ages cluttering up the candle basket so gonna work my way through burning them so I can buy more this year without clutter guilt 😂